Satori

1 / 32 ~16 min
Welcome to Satori

The Path to Enlightenment

Satori is a game of spiritual pursuit set in feudal Japan. The word "Satori" is the Japanese term for enlightenment -- a state of mind where you exist solely in the present, dissolving past and future to achieve clarity of thought.

You are a spiritual leader guiding Worshippers to Altars for meditation and prayer, sending Monks to the mountains to seek wisdom, and helping construct the Great Pagoda.

The game takes place over 5 rounds. In each round, every player takes 3 turns, placing one Worshipper per turn onto an Altar to carry out actions. After 5 rounds, final scoring determines the winner.

The player with the most Satori Points (SP) at the end of the game wins.

Full game board overview
Photo of the full Satori board showing the temple with Altars, the Mountains at the top, the Pagoda on the upper left, and the Scoring Track around the edge

Tutorial Overview

Glossary

Altar
Altar

A tile placed on the board where Worshippers are sent to perform actions. Each Altar has a colour (grey, orange, or blue) and two sides offering different action sets. Basic Altars are pre-printed on the board; players can build new Altars on top of matching Basic Altars.

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Altar Decoration

A small tile placed inside a newly built Altar, chosen from the 3 available Decoration Tiles in the Construction Area. Decorations modify or enhance the Altar's actions.

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Amulet Tile

A secret objective tile received during setup. After round 3, players who meet their Amulet's condition gain 2 SP. Amulets are also scored at end of game. Each Amulet rewards a different achievement (most SP gained, most Jokoros, highest Offerings, most Meditation Tiles, most Emeralds).

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Architect

A neutral figure on the Pagoda that limits where building can occur. You can only build a Tier or Roof on the Architect's level or one level above or below. The Architect advances one level at the end of each round.

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Bell

Each player has 2 Bells. The first is placed on the Turn Order Track during setup. The second is placed when you Call to Prayer at the Charity Altar. Bell placement on the Turn Order Track determines play order for the next round.

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Charity Altar

A special Altar where you can place a Worshipper to Call to Prayer (placing your second Bell and gaining Incense or the Collection) or visit the Construction Area. The Collection grants 2/3/4 Mon depending on how many different colours of Worshippers are on the Altar.

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Emerald

A premium resource that can be gained from Altar actions and Offerings. At end of game, each unused Emerald is worth 1 SP. Emeralds can also be spent to pay building costs.

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Hand Token

A personal token used to mark which Prayer Wheel you activated this turn. Returned to the Roof of the Prayer Wheels at end of round, freeing all wheels for the next round.

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Hikari
Hikari

A light token that moves clockwise or anticlockwise around a Mountain. When it reaches a space occupied by your Monk, that Monk is enlightened: you take the corresponding Meditation Tile and resolve its actions. There is one Hikari per Mountain.

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Incense

A resource tracked on the Incense Track (0-3) at the base of the Great Jokoro. Incense is spent to activate the Prayer Wheels for an extra action, and can be gained from Altar actions or Meditation Tiles. Players at 0 Incense at end of round lose 1 SP.

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Incense Track

A 4-space track (0-3) that records your current Incense level. Moving the marker up gains Incense; moving it down spends it. The maximum is 3. If you are at 0 at the end of a round, you lose 1 SP.

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Jokoro
Jokoro

An incense burner placed on your Altars or on the Pagoda. Jokoros on Altars advance your Offerings Track when any player places a Worshipper there. Jokoros on the Pagoda score SP at end of game (number of Jokoros multiplied by number of Roofs). Each player has 5 Jokoros available (a 6th can be unlocked via the Offerings Track).

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Meditation Tile
Meditation Tile

A tile placed on Mountain spaces that grants actions and resources when collected via Hikari enlightenment. Tiles from the First Era are used in rounds 1-2; Second Era tiles (more powerful) replace them from round 3 onward. Collected tiles are kept in your reserve and can be exchanged for resources at end of round.

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Mon

The basic currency of the game. Used to pay for building Altars, Jokoros, and Pagoda components. Gained from Altar actions, the Collection at the Charity Altar, and Meditation Tiles.

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Monk
Monk

One of your 3 personal figures placed on the Mountains to seek enlightenment. A Monk is enlightened when the Hikari token passes over it, granting you the Meditation Tile beneath it. Enlightened Monks are moved to the sun space on the board.

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Mountain

One of three mountain areas on the board, each with 4 spaces for Meditation Tiles and Monks. Each Mountain has its own Hikari token that circles its spaces. Mountains are where Monks seek enlightenment.

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Offerings Track
Offerings Track

A personal track on the board that advances when any player places a Worshipper on one of your Altars equipped with a Jokoro. Advancing 1 space for a different-colour Worshipper, 2 spaces for a same-colour match. At certain times, you may claim a reward from the track (resources, Emeralds, or unlocking your 6th Jokoro) and reset the marker.

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Pagoda
Pagoda

The Great Pagoda at the top of the board, built collaboratively by all players. It consists of 5 Tiers, Roofs between them, and a Sorin at the top. Building Tiers and Roofs costs resources but grants SP and provides spaces for Jokoros, which score at end of game.

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Prayer Wheels
Prayer Wheels

A set of action spaces on the board that can be activated once per turn by spending 1 Incense. You place your Hand Token on a Prayer Wheel to carry out its action. If another player's Hand Token is already there, you bump it to the Roof. You cannot use a Prayer Wheel where your own Hand Token is already placed from a previous turn.

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Sanmon
Sanmon

The entrance gate to the temple, located at the bottom of the board. At the start of each round, 3 Worshippers per player are drawn from the bag and placed here. On your turn, you choose one Worshipper from the Sanmon to place on an Altar.

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Satori Points (SP)

The victory currency of the game. Earned through building on the Pagoda, enlightening Monks, claiming Offerings, and end-of-game scoring. Tracked on the Scoring Track around the board edge. The player with the most SP after 5 rounds wins.

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Scoring Track

The track around the edge of the board where each player's Satori Points Marker moves. Players start at space 5. If you pass 40, take the +40 SP tile and continue from the start.

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Sect Token

A personal marker placed on each Altar you build (you have 3). Sect Tokens indicate ownership. The number of different-coloured Altars you own multiplied by the number of Jokoros on your Altars determines end-game scoring.

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Sorin

The pinnacle of the Pagoda, built only in the 5th round. Costs 1 Mon, 1 Wood, 1 Stone, 1 Incense, and 1 Meditation Tile. The builder receives the Sorin Scoring Tile which grants bonus SP at end of game.

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Turn Order Track

A track on the board that determines player order each round. Bells are placed from left to right. At end of round, the righthand-side Bells (placed via Call to Prayer) are reordered to the lefthand side first, giving those players priority next round.

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Worshipper
Worshipper

Shared worker tokens drawn from a bag in three colours (grey, orange, blue). On your turn you place one Worshipper from the Sanmon onto an Altar to carry out actions. The colour of the Worshipper relative to the Altar colour determines which actions you may resolve.

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